Meatpacking District, Gansevoort Street Between Washington and West Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

On November 6, three weeks ago, I went down to the Meatpacking District to get my hair cut at Red Market Salon.  If you follow the link, you will see that this is a very trendy, happening salon for meatpacking types to get haircuts and drinks at night, just the kind of salon a girl like me does not willingly set foot into.  I prefer a low key sort of place for a haircut.  I'm fond of haircutters who confine their talking to matters of hair.

I went there all unknowingly because I had gotten a discount at LifeBooker, and I had neglected to visit Red Market's website.  I gotta tell you, it was one of the pleasantest haircutting experiences I've ever had.  Up three flights of stairs to a pretty room with wooden floors painted white and red chairs and sun coming through the windows.  One other customer.  A lovely, quiet haircutter.  Good coffee.  70's music on the soundtrack.  When is the last time you heard Creedence Clearwater whilst getting a haircut?  And a good haircut.  Perfect.  Except for the price, of course.  Yes, even with a discount, a bit pricy.

But all of that is neither here nor there concerning these photographs.  After I left Red Market, I decided to check the progress at Gansevoort Street where the Whitney is going to be building a branch.  I guess they're not in a hurry.  Compare to five months ago.




Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

Here at the end of the block is a phone booth.  Do they still call them that?





Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

The other side of the street.


See map.

Meatpacking District, Gansevoort Street Between Washington and West Streets

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Mary Sargent © 2009 ……….. click to enlarge





Mary Sargent © 2009 ……………….. click to enlarge

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

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These three shots are of the north side of this block, which is awaiting construction of a branch of the Whitney Museum. The design is by noted architect Renzo Piano. It will be impressive. In the meantime, this is what is here, with its own charm.

Go to the New York Times to read a mostly approving article by architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff.

Meatpacking District, Gansevoort Street Between Washington and West Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ……... click to enlarge

Here's the last block of Gansevoort Street with New Jersey in the distance. Awfully close, isn't it? As I walked to the end of the block, I was surprised to find there were some interesting shots to be had. Well, not that surprised.

But for now, I want to announce the Third Anniversary of The Manhattan Street Project. Yayy! Let's all have champagne. Or prosecco. Below are two maps; one is from July 3, 2006 and the second was shot today. I don't even know how to guess how much I've done, but any fool can see there's way more to do. But I'm up for it; it gives me a reason to go on living, after all.


See Google Map.



July 3, 2006.....................July 3, 2009

The reason the first map comes with streets already marked is that I had started the project before I started the blog. However, I've been rewalking those pre-blog streets because, as my obsession grows, I realize that they MUST be photographed.

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Meatpacking District, Gansevoort Street Between Greenwich and Washington Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

My apologies for the non-post last night, an historic first for this blog. (Not counting vacations, of course.) I was just congratulating myself on that the other day. In almost three years, I've never missed a daily post, I said to Barbara. I'm impressed with myself, I said. See what happens when you say something like that out loud?

Last night I came home late, maybe just a touch looped, and realized this wasn't going to be like those other nights when I've come home late and just a touch looped, because tonight I needed to research the Meatpacking District and then write a coherent couple of paragraphs. Furthermore, it couldn't be put off because this was the only photo of historic buildings on this walk. Realizing all this took the last bit of brainpower I had left, so I said to myself, I'll just take a little nap and do this later. When I awoke at 10 a.m. this morning, it was clear that I couldn't call this last night.

But enough lamenting. Onward to the business at hand. I'm not going address the Meatpacking District as a whole, because another day, I will do a more District centered walk and talk about it then. (This one is more High Line centered.) But I came across the Gansevoort Market Historic District Designation Report of 2003 and found the detailed history of these buildings at 52-58 Gansevoort Street. You can imagine how thrilled I was. (The building at the left is Griffin Lounge as of April 2009, a more recent addition to the street, and not under discussion here.)

Nos. 54-56, the middle two of the building at the right, began life around 1850-54 as a carpenter shop and stable, and nos. 52 and 58 on the ends, were constructed as tenements in 1853. Yes, tenements are generally (always?) more than two stories, and these tenements were originally 3 and 4 stories tall. The carpenter shop and stable were operated by one family, William Hoe, his son James Hoe, and James's sons, William and George, from the beginning in 1853 until the company went bankrupt in 1933. In 1937, during the "last major phase of development of the district," according to the report, when new low rise buildings were built and other buildings altered and reduced in height for market uses, these buildings were reduced to two stories and connected to form a market building, with upstairs offices. The first tenants dealt in wholesale fruit and produce. In 1963, Ottman & Co. expanded its wholesale meat business into this space and the name is still visible on the end of the metal awning, but I can't find any evidence of the company's existence today.

The report concludes that this building contributes to the District, not only because of its market use, but because its brick and stone façade and metal canopy contributes to the visual cohesion of the district.

See map.

Meatpacking District, Gansevoort Street Between Hudson and Greenwich Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………….. click to enlarge

Now we're in the Meatpacking District for sure since we crossed Hudson Street. Notice the bricked street which just began. This is the Charles Nolan store, looking quite spiffy in the afternoon sun with its little jaunty hat.

In other news, I just want to say that although it is gratifying when people take the trouble to comment on a posting, I just have to wonder about my readership when the item they've commented on the most in recent history is a pink alcoholic drink.

For those who missed it, you'll find it in the June 20 posting.

See map.

Meatpacking District, Gansevoort Street Between 13th and Hudson Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ……….. click to enlarge

This is the entrance to Buckler, a store carrying a "cult menswear line" according to Time Out. I was quite taken with the look of this – it made me think of some initiation hut on a South Seas Island where young boys go to be terrified into becoming men. And this is the totemic presiding spirit. Then I looked up Buckler online and the first thing I saw was this figure dressed in a suit. No board. What a letdown. Just an ordinary store.

I'm undecided about the eastern boundary of the meatpacking district. It depends on if you are literal (like me) and think of it as the area where there used to be lots of and still are a few meatpacking plants. Or if you think of it as the trendy place it is with cult menswear stores and prizewinning architecture and fabulous restaurants. Historically, Hudson street was the boundary, but obviously this block is part of the scene.

One article I read referred to this area as MePa which makes me want to throw up. I hope people aren't really saying that. If they must shorten it, couldn't they just say MP?

See map.

West Village, Gansevoort Street Between 13th and Hudson Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This is what's across the street (the other side) from Yamamoto. Trembling with potential.

Gansevoort Street was named for Peter Gansevoort, a 4th generation Dutchman from Albany, who was made a colonel in the Revolutionary War. As far as I can see, he never lived in New York City. So why?

Before that the street was called Great Kiln Street because a lime kiln was located there. Knowing this, I had to find out what a lime kiln was, and it turns out to be a kiln that produces quicklime which is used in many things, including plaster. If that was all I learned, I wouldn't be bothering you with this, but no. You know the word limelight? Guess what? When you heat quicklime really really hot (4,300° F), it creates an intense glow and they used in the theater before the invention of electricity. They called it limelight.


Hint: if you click on the map link below, you can see what the building looked like before it was transformed into Yamamoto.

See map.